Muscat – The National Office for Local Content, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, is set to review the progress of various local content initiatives and discuss strategies for implementing performance indicators and measurement methods.

The meeting, scheduled for Monday, has been convened to underscore the country’s ongoing efforts to maximise the economic benefits of government spending.

Operating under the General Secretariat of the Tender Board, the National Office for Local Content has introduced institutional excellence indicators to improve governance. This initiative, undertaken with the Institutional Excellence Team at the Ministry of Labour, aims to establish a regulatory framework for assessing compliance with local content policies and identifying areas for improvement.

Ghalib bin Amer al Hinai, Chairman of the National Office for Local Content, said, “The office remains committed to enhancing the local content governance, guided by the Royal Directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, which highlight the importance of a robust national system for local content as a key driver of economic growth.”

Hinai added that the office is developing legislation and guidelines to support the implementation of local content policies.

A significant focus has been placed on digital transformation, with the introduction of the Esnad electronic platform to streamline government contracting and procurement processes, enhancing efficiency and transparency.

Local content indicators target three main areas: Government procurement, operational contracts, and development projects. These are further categorised into three core elements – employment and training of Omani nationals, support for small enterprises and freelancers, and the promotion of local products and goods.

The indicators are measured through 11 sub-categories, assessing the level of adherence to local content policies by government entities.